Adventures in Home Ownership

Last week I discovered that I had a broken sprinkler head in the front yard. I went to the Home Depot and got what I thought would fix it, but it did not. I went back to get something else, but it didn't solve the problem. My lawn (and foundation) were desperate for water so I decided to let the sprinklers run a few times anyway until I could figure out what to do. So tonight, the Smiths were dropping me off from a trip out to their house-in-progress when my favorite neighbor stopped me to let me know that I had a broken sprinkler head. (This guy is more worried about my sprinklers than I am! He's the one that was talking to me about coordinating my system with his before I ever even closed on the house! Then a month after I moved in he was telling me that I was creating a bog situation between our houses with my sprinklers. Yeah, remember last June....when it rained every single day? But it was MY sprinklers creating the bog situation. This guy really works my nerves.) But I digress.....Luckily, Bob and Natasha got out of their car to have a look at it and Bob told me that I would have to dig a little deeper to get a better look at it. Bob told me that he would come back tomorrow night to help me look at it, but I was so annoyed by my neighbor that I just started to dig. While I was digging my neighbor from across the street came out to let me know that I had a broken sprinkler head in my front yard. I was like, yeah, thanks, that's why I'm DIGGING A HOLE IN MY FRONT YARD! Yes, I seriously said that. He didn't offer to help me fix it, nor did the first guy. I figured out what the problem was, made my 675th trip to the Home Depot this summer and fixed the thing myself. I get such a rush fixing things myself. Once I pulled it out of the lawn, it looked like the pop up part didn't pop back down and someone ran over it with a lawn mower and cut it clean off. I'm a little dismayed that either my lawn service or my other neighbor broke it and no one bothered to let me know. And while I appreciate my others neighbors letting me know that I have a problem, I quote Bob Smith, don't just tell me what the problem is, tell me how to fix it.

More Awesomely Bad Baby Names

The entertainment continues:

1. Laykin, whose siblings have even more awesome names: Nevada, Caleb, Te'Ya, and Zoe'. Wow - Caleb really got lucky there.
2. Makeelah Markez
3. Ja'Cerrian O'Bryant
4. Makullen Kayne, sister is Makenna Rayne
5. Chesnie Jo
6. Zakemeon Dornell, Jr.
7. Alora Neveah

Photoshop Fun

Last summer Natasha got me hooked on etsy.com. This summer she's got me hooked on creating stuff in photoshop! It's so much fun!! Here are the first two things I've successfully made by myself: an invitation to Jennifer's birthday party and a picture for my mom.

I finally finished painting my kitchen! A coat of primer and two coats of paint later. I finally settled on a color called white truffle. My hands hurt really bad. At least now I can start hanging stuff on the walls and making it look pretty. Pictures will be posted soon!

The Crickets Must Die!!!!!

I'm totally taking insomniac to a whole new level tonight. I'm actually super tired and want to go to bed, but my mind and the mutant Texas crickets won't let me. I don't know what it is about the crickets around here, but they have the loudest chirp of any crickets I've ever encountered. Their chirping is so intense that it sounds like they are sitting on my bed with me. It wouldn't be so bad if it were just a dull roar, but this is insane!!!!! If anyone reading this knows how to exterminate yard crickets please let me know!

I must pick a color to paint the kitchen tomorrow. I must. No more vacillating. It's time to make a choice. Why are there 60 different shades of beige??

Really, I just want to the crickets to die!!!! Hmmmm...dead cricket.....I wonder if that is a color option?

Painting

I spent the day priming my kitchen for a new coat of paint. I thought I had the color picked out, but now I can't decide. I have it 'narrowed' down to seven colors. This will only be the third color in 13 months that these walls have seen so I really want to get it right this time. I guess my kitchen is having a little bit of an identity crisis. Maybe I need to call David Bromstad for help!! Painting by yourself sucks, but luckily I had some little helpers stop by today!

Parker said he likes to paint!

Caden was a very hard worker!

Allie before she got her hands in the paint!

Oops! Got a little on the face!

The Final Creation:

By the way - Natasha was nice enough to teach me how to use photoshop and I made my blog banner using my new skills! She was the creator of the others I've had and now I can make my own!

Musing on Happiness

I just saw a link to an article on MSN.com titled Is it Possible to be Single and Happy?

Let me answer that for you - yes. Astonishingly - I am happy. Actually, this is the happiest I've been in a long time. Why? Because I do whatever makes me happy and enriches my life and stay away from things that suck the life out of me. I wouldn't be so appalled by a title like this had it read something like......

Is it Possible That There is Life on Uranus?

Is it Possible That Flying Monkeys Could Take Over the World?

Is it Possible That Dick Cheney Could Actually Embrace Gun Control?

I Love This Man

If anyone knows a man like this:

please let me know. Handsome, funny, and smart isn't too much to ask for, right?